Singhvi for Parliament-like security in courts

Congress spokesperson and eminent lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has proposed the installation of full-body scanning machines and security equipment similar to that in Parliament to secure the Delhi High Court.

Congress spokesperson and eminent lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has proposed the installation of full-body scanning machines and security equipment similar to that in Parliament to secure the Delhi High Court.

Singhvi made the recommendations to Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia in an open court on Wednesday, soon after the blast. Singhvi said the Home ministry should be asked to give advice on installing full-body scanning machines like those in US and other airports. He said there would be no constraints other than the expense angle.

Suggesting that the Delhi High Court should go the Parliament way, Singhvi said the machines installed there threw up the car number, the MP’s identity and even the driver’s details on a screen.

Other proposals made by Singhvi included familiarising all stakeholders — including judges and lawyers — with security drills, signposting emergency exits, installing more CCTV cameras and setting up a biometric identity verification systems.

Following up his suggestions, Singhvi wrote to the CJI again on Thursday, proposing that officials of the Supreme Court Registry should coordinate with Parliament House officials to buttress security at the court.

Singhvi said there should be a radio frequency (RF) tag-based identification and security system, as was operating successfully in Parliament.

He also said the system operated at three levels in Parliament: at the outer perimeter entrance, at the porch where MPs alight, and at the respective entrances to the two Houses. He said security reforms done here after the 2001 terror attack had cost around Rs118 crore. Singhvi has marked his letter to the chief justice of the Delhi High Court as well.